When Lewis Hilton arrived in Tampa Bay in 2020, he had no thoughts about becoming one of the longest-tenured players in Tampa Bay Rowdies history.
He wasn’t thinking about sticking around for seven seasons, appearing in well over 150 matches for the club, or eventually becoming the player with the second-most appearances in the Rowdies Modern Era.
He was only thinking about winning.
The Rowdies were still a team on the rise in the USL Championship at the time. After leading the team back to the playoffs in his first full season at the helm, Neill Collins was looking to take the Rowdies to the next level. Hilton was eager to play a part in making that happen.
“I was desperate to win, and this was a club that I thought was going to be competing at the top of the league,” recalls Hilton. “I didn’t have any real thoughts on what would come years down the line or how long I would be at the club. I wanted to win.”
More than six years later, Hilton has established himself as a defining figure of the modern Rowdies, building a career and a life in Tampa Bay that has extended far beyond what he could have imagined when he first arrived.
An opportunity to play for the Rowdies checked nearly every box for Hilton, who grew up in England dreaming of playing professionally. Like many players who make their way to Tampa Bay, Hilton had faced the Rowdies as an opposing player in the past and was impressed by the club’s facilities and the Tampa Bay area. Coming from Saint Louis FC, a club that missed out on qualifying for the playoffs in 2019, he was drawn to Tampa Bay’s ambition.
“Saint Louis was a good club, but we weren’t competing at the top end of the table,” he says. “Coming to Tampa Bay, I knew that was the main objective. It was a chance to come and be a part of a team that was desperate to win, which is all I’ve ever wanted as a player.”
That desire to win and compete remains the driving force behind Hilton’s longevity in Tampa Bay.
The top-tier facilities, the local community, and the lifestyle have all played an important role in keeping Hilton in Tampa Bay, but the club’s aspirations on the field has always been the deciding factor. That hunger hasn’t diminished at all over the years.
“We’ve come close to some trophies in my time here, but I’m as hungry as ever to try and win more trophies and lift the big one hopefully this year,” he says. “My overall motivation still is the football side of it. It always has been. I don’t see that changing ever.”
That mentality has also helped Hilton avoid becoming complacent. While 175 club appearances and counting over seven seasons might suggest stability, he’s never viewed his position as guaranteed. He approaches each season, each game, and each training session with the understanding that he must continue earning his place.
“When you take your foot off the gas, even for a second, then you can slip out of the system or slip down the pecking order. You can’t get too complacent and too comfortable in a place.”
That mindset has been particularly meaningful after dealing with injuries last season. Nagging injuries sidelined Hilton for much of last year as the Rowdies missed out on securing a playoff spot for the first time during his time at the club. Those injuries have given the veteran an even greater appreciation for being fit and available this year as the rejuvenated Rowdies aim to capture the USL Championship Players’ Shield and get back into the playoffs.
Hilton arrived at the Rowdies at 25 years old with few responsibilities outside of doing his best in training every day and performing at a high level on matchdays. Since then, though, he has built lasting relationships with teammates, staff, and even become a husband.
“The me that came here in 2020 was just kind of selfishly following football, if I’m honest,” he says. “Today, I can say I’ve made some unbelievable friends at the club that will last the rest of my life. Of course, I’ve also met my wife Lindsey, who’s a local to the area and has made my life so much better. There’s so much for me to be thankful for when it comes to my time in Tampa Bay. Whatever comes, I will look at these years so fondly, on and off the pitch.”
For all the appearances and memories Hilton has accumulated while representing the Rowdies, he’s never looks too far ahead.
“I just take it one day at a time, one game at a time,” Hilton says.
For a player who has become one of the most familiar faces of the Modern Era, that may be the secret to it all. Hilton never set out to build a legacy in Tampa Bay. He simply came to win and kept showing up, one day at a time.
